Automatic feeding-hopper.



N. F. M. WILSON'.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING HOPPER.

APPLwATIoN Hmm Dnc. s, 1910.

1,004,328. Y Patented sept. 26,1911.

/f/f//f/fI f 5132? /Z fw W Jwefif( Kwam NETTIE F. M. WILSON, 0F EAST FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING-HOPPER.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

Application filed December 8, 1910. Serial No. 596,205.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, Nn'rrrn F. M. WILSON, citizen of the United States, and resident of East Foxboro, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding-Hoppers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic feeding hoppers, and it has for its object to provide av feeding device for poultry, with a vibrating wire screen or Chicken wire which is so adjusted within the hopper that when it is struck by the beak or bill of the fowl it will vibrate, thereby preventing the food from clogging in the hopper and also insuring a fresh supply of food in the place of the consumed food.

The other objects relate to the construction of the hopper for cleanliness and saving of food.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my automatic feeding hopper, showing same hung up. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the cover raised showing the interior of the hopper. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line X X Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, and intended to show the position of the wire screen within the hopper.

Numeral 5 is the hopper; 6 is the feeding box or trough formed integral therewith. The feeding box has a guard 7 in front and `also at the ends, for preventing the fowls from wasting the food. The depth of the feed box is about of an inch, but can be deeper or shallower if necessary.

The hopper is so shaped as to prevent the fowls from standing on the top of same or on the feed-box. This I accomplish by rst `giving the top 8 of the hopper a steep inclination, and second by leaning the hopper over the feed-box, see Figs. 1-2, which latter prevents the fowls from standing on the box or within the same preventing injury to the wire screen in the feedV box and also soiling feed within same. The hopper is provided with a hinged lid 10. The hopper with the feed box may be made of any size, and of anymaterial such as Wood, tin or iron. It may be ornamented, if desired. By means of hooks 12 the hopper can be hung up within reach of the fowls, see Fig. 1. Within the hopper 5, is loosely placed the wire screen or chicken wire 14 which extends downward to the top of the feed box, see Fig. 2, where it is curved under the front board 15 of the hopper', and from thence carried on top of the feed-box guard rail 7 upon which it is firmly fastened by the cleats 16 or other means. The hopper underneath the curved portion 20 of the screen is made on an incline, see 22, to cause the food in the hopper to flow down more freely into the feed-box.

The screen 14 is so situated within the hopper away from the side, see Fig. 4 at 24, in order that it will vibrate whenever the wires over the feed trough or box are struck by the beaks or bills of the fowls when eating. This constant vibration of the wire of the screen in the hopper will prevent the food clogging therein. It also causes a fresh supply of food to replace the consumed in the box. The shape of the hopper causes all the food to find its way into the feed-box. This device can be made to feed small or large fowls of any number. The food never gets above the wire screen in the feed-box. The Wire screen can be made of fine or coarse wire as the requirements demand, for insuring vibration.

What I claim is:

In an automatic feeding device, a forwardly leaning hopper provided with an inclined top and bottom, a feed box integral with said hopper, a wire screen securely fastened over the feed box, and extending loosely or free, therefrom into the interior of the hopper, said free end of the screen vibratable within the hopper by the beak of the fowl striking the wires over the feed box, means for securing the wire on the feed box, and means for covering the hopper.

Signed at East Foxboro, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts.

NETTIE F. M. WILSON.

Witnesses:

DAnrUs WILSON, RALPH H. MORSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C. 

